WATCH VIDEO: The story of the junior staff of Fidelity Bank Plc especially the drivers who were laid off at various times recently by the bank were pathetic.
The bank management seemed to be enjoying the embarrassments caused the valued customers of the bank with the disruptions caused customers with the incessant protests across branches in Lagos.
The embarrassments caused ex-staffs and ex-management staffs who made the bank what it is today with its present situation is beyond human comprehension.
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The Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo is presently under major test posed by internal conflict that may need urgent attention to redress injustices done to its own workforce especially old staff of the bank.
In a confrontational move to pass a significant message to top management staff, the drivers of bank temporarily shut down and almost paralyzed the activities of the bank at the Lagos Head Office at 2, Kofo Abayomi Street and Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island on July 24, 2018 in a bid to register their grievances with the bank’s policy.
They reportedly portrayed Okonkwo as insensitive to the welfare of staff and unsympathetic to their cause.
Information made available to SOJWORLD.COM by a reliable source shows that the staffs are in a pathetic situation having worked for the bank ranging from 15 to 20 years without anything to show for it.
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The incumbent MD/CEO of the bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo has deviated from the original plans of the previous management led by Mr. Nebolisa Arah and Reginald Ihejiahi who made the staff of the bank their first priority.
Findings showed that the bank came up with a policy that is far cry from the standard policy on entitlement for the bank’s drivers which pegged our entitlement at #150,000 for the number of years served.
The source said; “bank went ahead to pay some selected drivers even his driver that just joined the bank a year and two months were equally paid.â€
The leader of the protesting drivers simply known as Peter had this to say when SOJWORLD.COM asked why disturbing the services of the bank, “We are not asking for too much but asking for our entitlements from the bankâ€
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When asked if any staff from the bank attended to them, he said, “The police officer asked the Chief Security Officer, CSO of the bank if he has anything to say regarding the protest but the answer he gave to him was no. And we moved from Head Officer to Ahmadu Bello Way where we had another protest that ended it NTA Lagosâ€
He went further, “…the second day they invited us at the police station after much discussions the CSO of the bank was the one that represents the bank. He told us that the bank will get back to us in the three month’s time which we refused…â€
“And we agreed that the protests will continue until we are all paid.’’
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In a press release made available to SOJWORLD.COM two weeks ago, the bank said in a one page letter signed by the Divisional Head Brand & Communications, Charles Aigbe; “Our attention has been drawn to the demonstration at some of our business offices in Lagosâ€
The bank went further, “The actions aimed at preventing innocent customers from carrying out their banking transactions, is the handiwork of a few disengaged drivers from one of our vendor companiesâ€
The bank in its statement went further, “For the avoidance of doubt, we state categorically that Fidelity Bank is not owing staff salaries, severance packages or gratuity payment as erroneously portrayed.â€
One will continue to ask if Fidelity Bank is the only new generation bank in Nigeria that its staff filed suits in Industrial Courts and while its junior staff continue going on mass protests almost every week when the bank is not distressed.
Fidelity bank is the only bank still sacking its staff or forcing them to resign months after Nigeria got over recession.
Time will tell when Fidelity Bank management will remove this stigma off its branded image.
www.sojworld.com © August 3, 2018
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